Tech Giants: Starting from Bankrupt Companies

130: Chapter 130 Profound Echoes”The third product,” Wu Yi raised his voice, ”is Spark-3 Glass Fiber Reinforced Composite Material.”

This time, it wasn’t a staff member who came onto the stage, but the Chief Engineer, Chen Jianhua. This fifty-year-old veteran engineer pushed out a display stand, on which a piece of transparent ”glass” was fixed. But looking closely, one could see subtle fiber textures inside the glass.

”This isn’t ordinary glass; it’s a transparent armor plate made of glass fiber reinforced composite material,” Chen Jianhua spoke, his voice trembling slightly with nerves, though his hands remained steady. ”It’s 12 millimeters thick, but its weight is only one-third that of bulletproof glass of the same area.”

He pulled out an iron hammer. ”Now, I will demonstrate its impact resistance.”

Many in the audience leaned forward. Chen Jianhua raised the hammer and swung it forcefully at the glass plate.

Thump! A dull thud echoed. The glass plate vibrated violently, but not even a white mark appeared on the surface.

Once, twice, three times... Chen Jianhua struck ten consecutive blows, yet the glass plate remained perfectly intact.

”That’s not enough,” Wu Yi signaled. Staff members pushed forward a piece of testing equipment—an impact tester that simulated handgun fire.

”This device can simulate the impact energy of a 9mm handgun bullet, approximately 500 joules,” Wu Yi explained. ”Our set test standard is three consecutive impacts without penetration or cracking of the material.”

The device started. First impact: Bang! The sensor behind the glass plate showed an impact energy absorption rate of 92%.

Second impact: Bang! The absorption rate was 91%.

Third impact: Bang! The absorption rate was 90%.

The test concluded. Staff members carried the glass plate to the front of the stage, allowing the guests in the front row to observe it closely. There were three shallow pits on the surface, but no cracks, and certainly no penetration.

”As for actual bulletproof performance, that requires military testing,” Wu Yi said candidly. ”But the basic mechanical properties have already reached or even exceeded design targets. This material can be used for automotive glass, architectural curtain walls, special vehicle armor, fighter jet cockpits... the application scenarios are extremely broad.”

The demonstrations were all finished. Wu Yi returned to the center of the stage, the spotlight hitting him once again.

”The performance parameters of these three materials have all reached or exceeded advanced international levels.” His voice wasn’t loud, but every word was like a nail driven into a wooden board. ”This means that in the three key fields of engineering plastics, metal-matrix composites, and glass fiber reinforced composites, Huaxia has not only caught up but has achieved a breakthrough.”

He paused, his gaze sweeping across the room. ”More importantly—from raw materials to production processes, it is 100% independently controllable. There is no dependence on foreign technology and no patent barriers. Using our own technology, we have created world-class materials.”

The audience erupted. Journalists snapped photos frantically, representatives from state-owned enterprises whispered among themselves, and experts scribbled rapidly in their notebooks.

Minister Li stood up, walked to the front of the stage, and shook hands with Wu Yi. This gesture was captured by countless lenses.

”President Wu, beautifully done,” Minister Li said in a low voice, audible only to the two of them. ”The country needs enterprises like yours.”

Wu Yi gripped back firmly. ”This is what we should do.”

The press conference was originally scheduled for one hour, but it actually lasted two hours and twenty minutes. After it ended, Wu Yi was surrounded. The journalists’ questions came one after another:

”President Wu, when can these materials be mass-produced?”

”Mass production has already begun; we can deliver the first batch of orders next month.”

”What about the price? Will they be more expensive than imported materials?”

”The price of our engineering plastics is 80% of Dupont’s similar products, metal-matrix composites are 70% of those from the US, and glass fiber reinforced materials are 75% of those from Japan. Better performance at a lower price.”

”What is the production capacity?”

”We have already planned three brand-new production lines. By the end of next year, capacity can meet 50% of domestic demand, and we will achieve 100% supply within three years.”

Even more practical were the procurement heads of the state-owned enterprises. President Wang of the Aerospace Group pulled Wu Yi aside directly: ”President Wu, we urgently need metal-matrix composites for engine blade verification. Give us one ton first—no, five tons! Price is not an issue!”

The head of the FAW Group squeezed in: ”We want the engineering plastics! If Red Flag can use them, our cars can too! Let’s sign a framework agreement first!”

Representatives from wind power companies also came: ”Glass fiber reinforced materials are used in huge quantities for wind turbine blades! We’re starting thirty wind farms next year...”

Wu Yi dealt with them one by one, but he knew in his heart: the real test was only just beginning.

At seven in the evening, five hours after the press conference ended, Wu Yi finally returned to his office.

He slumped into his chair, feeling as if every bone in his body was falling apart. Four consecutive days of high-intensity work, combined with two hours of high tension today, had pushed even his forty-year-old body to its limit.

But he couldn’t rest yet.

His assistant walked in carrying a stack of documents. ”President Wu, these are the letters of intent and procurement inquiries received today. Preliminary statistics: 127 in total, including 86 from state-owned enterprises and 41 related to the military industry. The initial intended procurement amount... exceeds 30 billion.”

Wu Yi rubbed his temples. ”Categorize them first. Put military and strategic industries on the left, and general industrial applications on the right. SASTIND, Aerospace, Ordnance Industries... these take priority.”

”They’re already sorted,” the assistant said. ”Also, Minister Li left a message before he went: he hopes to lead a team to inspect the production lines next week and discuss custom requirements for ’special applications.’”

”’Special applications’...” Wu Yi understood the meaning of that term. Some materials weren’t meant for making cars or wind turbine blades.

”Arrange it. Notify the production department to prepare for the reception. Also—” he paused, ”all military-related orders are to be filed separately and managed with encryption. Raise the security clearance for personnel handling these projects to the highest level.”

After finishing the notes, the assistant asked, ”How should we handle the media interview requests? More than thirty media outlets have applied for exclusive interviews.”

”Pick three authoritative ones: Huaxia Daily, CCTV, and Science and Technology Daily. Politely decline the others for now,” Wu Yi said. ”What we need now is professional communication, not exposure.”

After the assistant left, Wu Yi walked to the window. Outside, the lights of the Xinghuo Materials Park stretched out into the night. The distant workshops were still running, and new production lines were being installed. Further away were the myriad lights of Shenzhen.

His phone rang; it was Su Chen.

”I watched the video of the press conference,” Su Chen’s voice was calm. ”You did well.”

”President Su, the pressure is too great,” Wu Yi said honestly. ”With 30 billion in orders, our current capacity can’t even meet one-fifth of the demand.”

”Then expand production,” Su Chen said. ”Money is not an issue. Is ten billion enough? If not, make it twenty billion. But Wu Yi, remember one thing: prioritize the needs of national defense and strategic industries. This is our foundation and the reason the state supports us.”

”I understand. It’s already been arranged.”

”Also,” Su Chen paused, ”how is the digestion of those technical materials going?”

Wu Yi was silent for a few seconds. This question was sensitive, but he knew he had to be honest. ”Technically there are no problems; the parameters are all correct. But President Su, some of the principles... we can’t understand them. For example, that interface enhancer in the metal-matrix composite—according to existing theories, it shouldn’t have that kind of effect. But it does.”

There was a longer silence on the other end of the line.

”If you can’t understand it, just apply it first,” Su Chen finally said. ”In the history of science, many things were put to use first, and the principles were only understood many years later. Penicillin was like that, and so were semiconductors. What you need to do now is produce these materials and use them. Leave the theoretical breakthroughs to the Xingchen Academy of Sciences.”

”But...”

”No buts.” Su Chen’s tone became serious. ”Wu Yi, we are at war right now. On the battlefield, can you refuse to fire just because you don’t understand the ballistics of the bullet? Win first, then research.”

Wu Yi took a deep breath. ”Understood.”

”Good. Hurry up with the expansion and secure the supply. In three months, I want to see these materials used in domestic large aircraft, in new types of fighter jets, and in the next generation of Red Flag models.”

The call ended.

Wu Yi held his phone, standing still for a long time. Outside, the night view of Shenzhen was as brilliant as a galaxy. This city, this country, was undergoing a quiet revolution. And Spark Materials was the most fundamental cornerstone of this revolution—without material breakthroughs, chips are castles in the air, cars are assembly toys, and aviation is out of reach.

The assistant knocked and entered again. ”President Wu, President Gao from Xingchen Heavy Industry is on the phone. He says the five-axis machine tools have been calibrated and is asking when we need the new production lines.”

”Install them tomorrow.” Wu Yi turned around. ”Notify all department heads: meeting in half an hour. We need to re-plan the entire capacity layout.”

Half an hour later, the conference room was packed. Everyone’s face bore signs of exhaustion, but their eyes shone with light.

Wu Yi pulled up a new planning map. ”Based on the orders received today, we need to re-plan. The originally planned three production lines aren’t enough; we need to expand to ten. Of those, three will be dedicated to military industry, three for aerospace, two for automotive, and two for other industries.”

The production director frowned. ”President Wu, ten production lines... where will the equipment come from? Where will the workers come from? Where will the factory space come from?”

”Equipment: Xingchen Heavy Industry is stepping up production. The five-axis machine tools are already in place, and for other specialized equipment, we are collaborating with eighteen domestic equipment factories to tackle key problems.” Wu Yi switched the page. ”Workers: we will recruit directly from seven material science colleges nationwide and headhunt experienced Old Master Craftsmen from state-owned enterprises. Factory space—there are still two hundred mu of vacant land on the west side of the park. It’s already been approved; construction starts tomorrow.”

He looked around the room. ”I know it’s hard. But the state has given us a 500 billion loan, and the market has given us 30 billion in orders. We have no reason not to achieve this.”

The CFO raised a hand. ”Cash flow...”

”Money is not an issue.” Wu Yi pulled up the financial statements. ”After today’s press conference, five billion in advance payments have already hit our accounts. Banks have reached out proactively to offer low-interest loans. More importantly—military orders are all paid in full in advance. The cash flow is very healthy.”

The atmosphere in the conference room began to shift. From worry to excitement, from pressure to motivation.

”Meeting adjourned. Every department is to execute according to the new plan,” Wu Yi said finally. ”In three months, I want to see all ten production lines in operation. In six months, we will become the largest high-end material production base in Asia. In one year, we will make ’Spark Materials’ the world standard.”

People left one after another. Finally, only Wu Yi and Chen Jianhua remained.

”Engineer Chen, it’s been a hard three months,” Wu Yi said.

Chen Jianhua smiled, a smile characteristic of a simple, veteran engineer. ”Hard? I’ve been waiting my whole life for this day. Back at the research institute, no matter how good the materials we made were, we could only publish papers. Now, our materials are going into the sky, into the sea, and onto the roads. This is the dream of every materials scientist.”

He paused. ”President Wu, to tell you the truth: I still can’t figure out where the technology President Su gave us came from. But I don’t care. As long as it lets Huaxia’s materials stand tall, I don’t care where it came from.”

Wu Yi nodded. He knew many in the team felt this way—the technology was too advanced, so advanced it didn’t seem real. But as Su Chen said: apply first, understand later.

Outside, the night grew deeper. But inside the Xinghuo Materials Park, it was brightly lit and the machines were roaring.

New production lines were being installed, new factories were being built, and new orders were being transformed into tangible products.

And across the vast land of Huaxia, from the automobile factories in Changchun to the aircraft manufacturing plants in Xian, from the wind power bases in Shanghai to the satellite launch centers in Jiuquan, countless engineers were waiting for these materials.

What they were waiting for was not just a new material, but a national industrial upgrade and a nation’s technological self-reliance.

In the night, Wu Yi stood by the window, watching it all.

He knew that today was only the beginning.

After the material breakthrough would come the chip breakthrough, the equipment breakthrough, and a comprehensive breakthrough for the entire industrial system.

And Xinghuo was at the very forefront of this historical process.

Outside the window, Shenzhen was a sea of lights.

And within that sea of light, a new era was quietly being born upon the foundation of materials science.